Wringer



Feb. 25, 1941.

W. L. KAUFFMAN 2D WRINGER Filed July 1., 1937 if] E @7 34 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Feb. 25, 1941 UNITED STATES WRINGER Application July 1, 1937, Serial No. 151,416

11 Claims.

Power wringers are commonly provided with safety release devices by means of which the pressure on the rolls may be instantly released should the operator get caught in the rolls. Inasmuch as this release must be accomplished ordinarily under panic conditions it is desirable that it be accomplished with the least possible effort. The necessary pressure on the rolls is quite large and this pressure is increased as the rolls are separated. Particularly should the operators hand be caught in the rolls, then the pressure under which the release operates is quite heavy;

In the present invention the release movement is spring actuated and the releasing effort merely operates the latch which permits the spring to operate. In using a spring for this purpose there is the danger, unless provision is made to avoid it, that the spring might break either after the setting of the wringer or before setting so that with a release eifort of the operator there may be no response in release action. The present invention provides provision by which there can be no failure of release from setting position in the ordinary use of the wringer in the event of any breakage or failure of the releasing spring. The invention is particularly applicable to release mechanism operating in conjunction with a resetting mechanism and as illustrated is so exemplified. Other features and details of the invention will appear from the specification and claims.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing as follows:

Fig. 1 shows a front elevation of the wringer partly in section.

Fig. 2 an enlarged view of the releasing end of the wringer in release position, the resetting lever being in section.

Fig. 3 a perspective view of a catch actuating member.

Fig. 4 a perspective view of the catch for retaining the releasing members in set position.

Fig. 5 a section on the line 5-5 in Fig. 1.

l marks a base of the wringer frame, 2 and 3 side stiles. 4 marks a top bar which is detachable, 5 a lower roll, 6 an upper roll, I and 8 shafts for the lower and upper rolls respectively. The shaft 1 is journaled in bearings 9 arranged in the side stiles and supported by brackets l0. Bearings H are provided for the upper shaft 8 and these bearings are slidingly mounted in the side stiles. A spring I2 operates upon the upper bearings. This spring is adjusted by screw l3 operating through a nut I 1 in the top bar. These parts are or may be of common construction.

The top bar is of channel shape with closed ends which may be assembled over the stiles by telescopic movement.

One end of the top bar has the stabbing l5 forming a shoulder l5 and the side stile has a corresponding stabbing I 7 forming a shoulder l8 adapted to engage the shoulder l6 and retain this end of the mechanism is in set position.

top bar when the A resetting and releasing lever i5! is hinged at 20 on the end of the top bar.

This resetting lever is U-shaped in cross section, the sides of the lever extending down the sides of the stile when the lever is in set position as shown in Fig. 1.

A link 2| is pivotally connected at 22 with the lever 19 and at 23 with a stile.

It will be understood that there is one of these links at each side of the stile.

A catch-plate 24 has turned up sides 25 which are provided with perforations 26. These perforations register with perforations 2'! in ears 28 struck up from the side stile and a pivot pin 29 extends through the perforations thus providing a pivotal mounting for the catch plate.

The catch plate has engaging shoulder 24a and passes through an opening 3!! in the outer wall of the lever Ill.

The shoulder 24a engages an inclined surface 39a at the upper edge of the opening 33. The catch has an upper arm 3| forming with the catch proper a bell crank. An arm 3| terminates in an inclined lip am. A

spring 32 is secured by rivets 32a on the outer wall of the lever l 9 and is provided with a round ed end 33 which end is adapted to engage the arm 3| of the catch 24.

As the lever I9 is forced to set position the spring 32 engages the arm 3| and yieldingly lifts the catch 24 to hold it in engager'nent with the shoulder Ella.

The pivots 22,

23 and the hinge 28 are slightly off alignment so that the lever mechanism when in set position is slightly unstable.

In consequence should the the cammi'ng action of the shoulder 39a.

On the other hand, shouldthe spring 32 break during the operation of the wringer the catch 2 should immediately release the lever it by reason of the camming action of the shoulder Mia.

The force of the spring 32 is sufiicient to maintain the catch in set position notwithstanding the camrning action of the shoulder Ella.

The force is also should there be any breakage of the Spring 32 sufficient to promptly move the lever H! to release position so that the top may swing upward and thus relieve the pressure on the rolls when the catch is released.

The trip mechanism comprises a sliding member having a plate 34 with slots 35. Headed rivets 36 extend through the slot and hold the plate 34 in sliding engagement with the outer face of the stile. A spring 31 is secured toan car 38 struck up in the plate 34 to an ear 3!) struck up in the stile. This spring yieldingly holds the plate 34 in the upward position. The lower end of the plate has a camrning surface 3411. which is adapted to engage the camming surface 3|a of the arm 3| so that when the plate is forced downwardly the arm 3| is forced outwardly depressing the catch 24 so as to release the lever H). The plate 34 has arms 43, one at each side of the stile, extending upwardly along the side of the top bar and under levers 4| extending from operating trip bar 42. The trip bar extends along the front of the machine and the levers 4| at each end have hooked shaped ends which extend through slot 44. A spring 45 connects the ends of the levers 4| and maintains the assembly. The spring 45 together with the spring- 31 holds the trip bar 42 in the upward position. When this trip bar at either side of the wringer is struck by the operator the downward movement of the levers 4| operating on the arms 40 move the slide 34 downwardly thus releasing the catch. This permits the lever to swing to release position but this motion of the lever is accelerated by the spring 32 so as to effect practically instantaneous response in release of the rolls.

If it is desired to make the alignment of the pivots 20, 23 ,and 22 very close so that the lever mechanism is very close to stable, a positive means of moving the lever l3 initially through the trip mechanism may be provided so that and not a sufficient pull on the lever to disengage the catch 24, the following device is provided: The lip 3|a has projections 3l'b which straddle the spring 32 and are of such a length as to engage the lever I!) when the catch 24 has been released. The continued movement of the trip lever 42 and consequently the trip plate with the cam 34a. forces the projections 3|b fur- I ther out and with this movement the lever I9 is engaged and positively forced out to a position where it is sufficiently unstable to assure a release. This positive engagement by the extension 3!!) in any event accelerates the release movement of the lever I9.

It will be noted that by reason of the projections 3|b the inclination of the cam surface 33a may be made less, in fact, eliminated and the mechanism through the projections 3|b provides an assurance of release on a failure of the spring 32. On the other hand if the unstable relation between the links 22, 23, and 2|] is sufficient to afford a certain release with each unhooking of the catch 24 the inclined shoulders 30a will assure a. positive release even though the spring 32 fails without the use of the projections 3"). These two features, the inclination of the shoulder 30a and the projections 3 lb, supplement each other in the normal operation, but are operative to assure certain release individually.

What I claim as new is:

1. In a wringer, having a frame; rolls mounted on the frame; and pressure means exerting pressure on the rolls from the frame; the combination with said frame and pressure means of a safety release device comprising a retaining means restraining a releasing of the pressure exerting means, said retainin means including a manually engageable resetting lever; a spring 010 crating on the lever and energizing a release movement thereof; and a manually engageable trip mechanism comprising a latch releasably re straining the lever, said spring upon the release of the lever accelerating the release movement of the lever, and said spring being so constructed and arranged that failure of the tension of the spring to operate upon the lever will effect a release of the lever.

2. In a wringer, having a frame; rolls mounted on the frame; and pressure means exerting pressure on the rolls from the frame; the combination with said frame and pressure means'of a safety release device comprising a retaining means restraining a release of the pressure exerting means, said retaining means including a toggle, one link of which forms a manually engageable resetting lever; a spring operating on the lever and energizing a release movement thereof; and a manually engageable trip mechanism comprisin a latch releasably restraining pressure on the rolls from the frame; the com bination with said frame and pressure means of a safety release device comprising a retaining means restraining a release of the pressure exerting means, said retaining means including a toggle having its links arranged in unstable relation, one link of the toggle forming a manually operable resetting lever; a spring operating on the lever and energizing a release movement thereof; and a trip mechanism comprising a latch releasably restraining the lever, said spring being constructed and arranged to supply an initial force to move the lever in the release direction and upon the release of the lever accelerating the release movement of the lever.

4. In a wringer, having a frame; rolls mounted in the frame; and pressure means exerting pressure on the rolls from the frame; the combination with said frame and .pressure means of a safety release device comprising a resetting toggle having its links arranged in unstable relation, one of the links being elongated to form a resetting lever; a catch between the toggle and the frame for retaining the toggle in the pressure retaining position, said catch having an unstable latching engagement; a spring operating on the catch to hold it in locking engagement with the lever; and a trip mechanism operating to release the catch. I

5. In a wringer, having a frame; rolls mounted in the frame; and pressure means exerting pressure on the rolls from the frame; the combination with said frame and pressure means of a safety release device comprising a resetting toggle having its links arranged in unstable relation, one of the links being elongated to form a resetting lever; a catch between the toggle and F the frame for retaining the toggle in the pressure retaining position, said catch having an unstable engagement with the toggle; a spring carried by the lever and operating on the catch to hold it in locking engagement with the lever, the

parts being related to engage the catch as the lever is moved to set position, said spring accelerating the releasing movement of the lever when the catch is released; and a trip mechanism operating on the catch.

6. In a wringer, having a frame; rolls mounted in the frame; and pressure means exerting pressure on the rolls from the frame; the combination with said frame and pressure means of a safety release device comprising a resetting toggle having its links arranged in unstable relation; .a catch for retaining the toggle in set position, said catch having an unstable engagement with the toggle; a spring carried by the toggle and operating on the catch to hold it in locking engagement with the toggle; and a trip mechanism comprising a sliding plate having an arm extending toward the center of the wringer, a trip bar extending along the front of the wringer and operatively associated with the arm extending from the sliding plate for actuating said sliding plate.

7. In a wringer, having a frame; rolls mounted in the frame; and pressure means exerting pressure on the rolls from the frame; the combination with said frame and pressure means of a safety release device comprising retaining means restraining a release of the pressure exerting means; a spring energizing release movement of the retaining means; and a trip mechanism comprising a latch releasably restraining the retaining means, on the release of which the spring accelerates the release movement of the retaining means, said trip mechanism comprising devices positively moving the retaining means upon the failure of the spring.

8. In a wringer, having a frame; rolls mounted on the frame; and pressure means exerting pressure on the rolls from the frame; the combination with said frame and pressure means of a safety release device comprising a retaining means restraining a release of the pressure exerting means, said retaining means including a toggle, one link of which forms a manually engageable resetting lever manually engageable for resetting operation; ,a spring operating on the toggle and energizing a release movement thereof; and a trip mechanism releasably restraining the toggle, said spring upon the release of the toggle accelerating the release movement of the toggle, said trip mechanism comprising devices positively moving the lever to release position upon the failure of the spring.

9. In a wringer, having a frame; rolls mounted in the frame; and pressure means exerting pressure on the rolls from the frame; the combination with said frame and pressure means of a safety release device comprising a toggle having its links arranged in unstable relation; a catch for retaining the toggle in set position, said catch having engagement with the toggle; a spring carried by the toggle and operating on the catch to hold it in looking engagement with the lever; and a trip mechanism operating on the catch, the catch having a part directly moving the lever upon the failure of the spring.

10. In a. wringer, having a frame; rolls mounted on the frame; and pressure means exerting pressure on the rolls from the frame; the combination with said frame and pressure means of a safety release device comprising a toggle; a catch for retaining the toggle in set position; a trip mechanism movable independently of the toggle releasing the catch; and means operatively connected with said trip mechanism directly moving the toggle on a continued movement of the trip mechanism after releasing the catch.

11. In a wringer, having a frame; rolls mounted in the frame; and pressure means exerting pressure on the rolls from the frame; the combination with said frame and pressure means of a safety release device comprising a toggle having its links arranged in unstable relation; a catch mounted on the frame for retaining the toggle in set position; a spring operating on the catch in set position to hold it in locking en- 'gagement; and a trip mechanism actuating the catch, said spring being secured to said resettin toggle and moved bodily therewith.

WALTER L. KAUFFMAN, II. 

